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About
I've created design, illustration and interactive digital experiences that are seen nationally and internationally. I've redesigned multiple US newspapers. I've spoken at SND (the Society of New Design) and won multiple awards from a bunch of AP's to a few SND's. But that's not my story.
My passion is driving the next iterations of great design and communication. I love the act of finding new solutions and innovative ways of engaging with readers and users, exciting them and leaving them hungry for knowledge and experiences they've yet to imagine. -
Education
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Certificate UX-UI BootcampOhio State University2022 - Currently EnrolledI'm currently taking a UX-UI Bootcamp to add to my professional experience.
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Masters Visual Communication DesignOhio State University1995 - 1997
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Bachelors of Science Graphic DesignUniversity of Cincinnati1991 - 1995
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Experience
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Art DirectorNew York, NYFeb 2016 - Present (8 years 9 months)I am currently an Art Director on the Enterprise Team for Advance Local Media, a print and digital media publication company that operates sites across the US including the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Portland Oregonian, the Syracuse Post-Standard, MLive, Cleveland.com, AL.com, PennLive.com and many more. I produce high level static design and content that appears in print as well as interactive and digital content that has run nationally.
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Creative DirectorDes Moines, IAOct 2011 - Feb 2016 (4 years 4 months)Creative Director of the Des Moines Design Studio, working with 22 separate publications owned by Gannett in the Central and Southern US states. This includes 22 daily newspapers including the Des Moines Register, the Springfield News-Leader, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, the Shreveport Times, the Daily Advertiser of Lafayette, Louisiana, the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Appleton Post-Crescent and the St. Cloud Times to name a few. I cached 5 Design Team Leaders, 87 designers, 8 copy-editors and several interns, working closely with hundreds of other Editors, Writers and Photographers. My primary goal was to motivate and excite my team to create exciting designs that demand reader attention by producing large scale graphic presentations, engaging page layouts and excellent illustrations.
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Make-Up Editor - Features DesignToledo, OHMar 2007 - Oct 2011 (4 years 7 months)As Make-up Editor at The Blade, I designed and directed the design, layout and production of our daily and Sunday Features sections. I worked to stretch The Blade’s Features design to become more innovative, design forward, and engaging, while still respecting the fairly conservative design tradition of The Blade. I worked closely with editors, writers, photographers and designers to develop an exemplary communication structure with extraordinary results. In early 2010, I redesigned our Peach weekender section. I was extremely involved with the design process on this section until my departure, which had become one of The Blade’s most profitable.
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Design EditorToledo, OHDec 2006 - Mar 2007 (3 months)As Design Editor of Toledo Free Press, I oversaw the entire production process, including editorial and advertising design and layout for a growing weekly publication. In January 2007, I completed a redesign that streamlined the font and color palette. During my tenure, the circulation increased from approximately 15,000 weekly to over 120,000 weekly distribution, and four major advertisers signed contracts with the publication.
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Presentation/Graphics EditorGreen Bay, WIJul 2006 - Nov 2006 (4 months)As Presentation Editor of The Green Bay Press-Gazette, I immediately supervised a staff of three designers, and I oversaw the daily design and presentation executed by 15 paginators. I lead the complete redesign of the paper that took place in July of 2006, creating flexible, but easy to use templates, style sheets and color palettes that would work within an Atex Prestige environment for PC's and Mac's. On a daily basis I acted to suggest graphics and layout opportunities, and oversee design production in the daily and Sunday newspaper as well as several magazines and tabs.
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Graphic DesignerToledo, OHDec 1999 - Jun 2006 (6 years 6 months)As a Graphic Designer in The Blade’s Marketing and then Editorial Departments, I designed many maps, graphs, and infographics as well as hundreds of feature pages and illustrations. I was a designer on the series, ‘Buried Secrets, Brutal Truths’ for which we won the 2003 Pulitzer for Investigative Journalism and I designed the Press kit sent to major media outlets. I was also the lead designer for The Blade’s 2005 Pulitzer prize nominated ongoing investigation of the State of Ohio’s Bureau of Workers Compensation funds mismanagement story; working closely with several editors and writers to produce graphics that illustrate the complex nature of this significant story.
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Awards
* 2022 Ohio Excellence in Journalism - 1st Place - Illustration Portfolio
* 2021 SND Best of Digital News Design Bronze Award
* 2020 SND Best of Digital News Design. Gritty by NJ.com
* 2021 NJPA (New Jersey Press Association) 1st Place - Design Portfolio
* 2019 Keystone Press Awards - Second Place - Front page design
* 2018 New York Associated Press - 1st place - Illustration or Graphic
* 2018 Keystone Press Awards - 1st Place - Front page design
* 2018 Michigan Press Association - 1st Place - Division A - Special Section Design
* 2017 New York Associated Press - 1st place - Illustration or Graphic
* 2017 Pennsylvania Associated Press - 2nd place - Design
* 2016 Pennsylvania Associated Press - 1st place - Illustration or Graphic
* 2016 New York AP (Associated Press) 3rd Place - Full page design.
* 2016 New York Publisher's Association - Award of Excellence - Design
* 2014 Annual Best of Gannett Awards, First place, page design
* 2014 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Awards (multiple awards)
- 2nd Place (Group A) Overall Page Design
- 1st Place (Group B) Overall Page Design
- 2nd Place (Group B) Overall Page Design
- 3rd Place (Group B) Overall Page Design
- 1st Place (Group C) Overall Page Design
- 2nd Place (Group C) Overall Page Design
- 1st Place (Group B) Features Page Design
- 1st Place, Graphics
* 2014 Quarterly Best of Gannett Awards, First place, First quarter, page design,
* 2013 Best of Gannett Awards, Both First and Third place in Page Design
* 2013 Wisconsin Newspaper Association, 2nd place, Graphics
* 2013 Quarterly Best of Gannett Award, First place, Division III, page design, 2nd Quarter
* 2012 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Best Designer
* 2012 Best of Gannett, page design
* 2011 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Best Page Design
* 2009 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Best Page Design
* 2009 Society of Professional Journalists Best in Show, Best Graphic Designer
* 2008 Society of Professional Journalists Best in Show, Best Graphic Designer -
Affiliations
SND - Society of News Design
SPJ Ohio, SPJ Ohio, SPJ Wisconsin, SPJ Iowa - Society of Professional Journalists -
Industries
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Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@sjmckeownyoung, member since 2009
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Following 2
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Followers 1
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